Lynley Mysteries: Beautiful
by Jumaolster
Summary: in response to a challenge on the ILM R&J list


Title: Beautiful

Disclaimer: Not mine, they're all EG's…..

Rating: PG

Answer to Dagmarnat's challenge number five

It was supposed to be a short slap stick piece, but then romance snuck up and hit me in solar plexus…… So enjoy!

Lynley was beside himself. How on earth could Hillier be this daft? This was dangerous, for crying out loud!

"Sir, I must protest. This is a very bad idea. We should not use Barbara as a bait for this man, he's very dangerous. If something happens to Barbara….."

He'd stood up during his protest, and had put his hands flat on Hillier's desk, leaning in towards him.

Another man would probably have been intimidated, but Hillier was determined to go through with his plan.

"Lynley, listen to me. LISTEN! We're having a rampant criminal out there, targeting red haired women walking alone at night! We need to solve this and find the man before he attacks another woman! I have taken every precaution known to man to make sure DS Havers is safe during this operation. She'll be wearing a gps until and an earpiece, and there will be over 20 police officers stationed all along the route from the night club to the underground station. Most of them will be armed. And she'll be armed with a taser and pepper spray. I'll be out there myself! And besides, Havers has agreed to do it. She's with that makeup artist as we speak."

"Make up artist? Has everyone gone totally out of their minds? What ever for?" Lynley felt a sudden surge of panic hitting his chest. What were they doing to Barbara?

"Relax, Lynley. She's getting her hair and some makeup done, and they've brought a dress. She's supposed to be stood up by her date in one of London's fanciest nightclubs. There is no way we could send her in wearing her usual jeans and blouse."

Lynley hated this. He sat down again, fuming.

"I still wish to have it noted that I think this is too dangerous, Sir. There must be some other way…" But actually, even as he spoke, he realised that this was probably the only option. A serial rapist had hit town, and the mood in the city was varying between panic to "do it yourself". The night before an innocent man had been attacked by a group of vigilantes on his way home from work because he'd asked a red haired woman for matches at the bus stop. People had a feeling that the police were not doing nearly enough, and a crisis meeting late the previous evening had resulted in the current plan.

The Met did not have all that many female officers, and red heads were rare. Hillier had thought of DS Havers. She was no classic beauty, perhaps, he thought of her as more handsome that anything else. He'd told her this was a voluntary mission, if she said no, only he would know. As he'd expected, she'd agreed right away. She was profoundly appalled by the recent crime wave, and he also knew that she always took special care with assault or rape victims.

Hillier was very nervous about this, even if he didn't let it show. They've had their differences, but the last thing he needed was an officer hurt in a risky arrest attempt. But time was running out.

Determined, he stood up.

"Let's go, Lynley, and see how DS Havers is coming along!" Lynley followed him out the door, still voicing some doubts:

"And Sir, a nightclub isn't really Havers' right element. She's not crazy about fancy dressing, and let's not talk about make up. I think it might be a good idea if I went with her, I could be the boyfriend she could have a fight with? I'm convinced it would be a good idea, I'm sure our man observes his victims all evening long before…."

Hillier turned around abruptly:

"You will do no such thing, Lynley! Your face has been all over the news several times, he might recognize you! If you wish, you can follow in the van we're planting outside the club." The last part was added more softly. He knew Lynley held Havers in his highest regards, and had wondered more than once what their relationship was really like. Just friendship? Big brother little sister? He couldn't imagine there to be any romance. Besides, his spies would have reported it at once.

With that they arrived at the ladies loo, were Barbara was being dressed up.

Hillier knocked on the door.

"Can we come in? Hillier and Lynley here!"

"Just a minute, Sir, and I'll be out! " They both noted she sounded rather pleased.

Behind them, a small gaggle of officers had gathered. They all wanted to see Barbara all dressed up, and most of them thought she was very brave to go through with it.

Barbara was very nervous, scared even. She felt like a princess in her dress, and she'd been surprised at her own reflection earlier when the make up person had shown her his work. He'd taught her how to do it, too: he'd applied very little make up, emphasising her natural striking appearance. Just some liquid foundation, very little eyeshadow and some mascara. A touch of lipstick and she was ready to go. She'd asked him to minimize the make up, she felt like crawling out of her skin the very few times she applied some herself. But she actually felt good.

Instead, the make up artist had concentrated on her hair and body. He'd rolled her long hair up in curlers to make long Shirley Temple curls. Then after carefully fixing it all with spray, he'd first put her hair up in the sides with two star shaped clasps, and then he'd simply bound the curls together at the nape of her neck with a green velvet bow.

The result was amazing. An absolutely breathtaking cascade of red curls fell all the way down her back.

He'd also brought a dress. She'd given him her measurements on the phone, and he'd brought her a little black dress that just knocked her off her feet.

It was a bit short for her taste, she felt like it was hardly even covering her bum up, but it DID show off her legs in the most amazing fashion. It was figure hugging to accentuate her slim waist, and wider over the hips. It had a V-neck cut and short sleeves ( because she'd told him she didn't want bare shoulders). She was wearing a simple gold chain for jewellery, and skin colour tights and a pair of black shoes. She'd bought those for one of her dates. They were velvety black pumps, 40ies style, with a low heel she would still be able to run in, if need be.

She took a deep breath and walked out to face her co workers.

The initial silence was deafening. Everyone was stunned. Barbara noticed Lynley looked very angry though. Didn't he like it?

Then Winston yelled:

"Woha! Barbara, want to marry me? You're always stunning, girl, but today you're extra delicious!"

Everyone started laughing, except Lynley. He'd crossed his arms over his chest and looked ready to explode.

"I'd like to speak with you in your office, Sir, " he said to Hillier, in that quiet menacing manner he only used when he was really angry, " and I'd like DS Havers to come with us!"

Without waiting for consent, he turned on his heel and stomped off to Hillier's office.

Well inside, Lynley went on:

"I'll have none of this. It's too dangerous. I simply won't allow it!"

Barbara hadn't quite anticipated this reaction. A small part of her had hoped he'd like what he saw, and she suddenly felt dejected.

"But Sir, I've already agreed to this, and I do believe it is the only way to….."

"You'll have men crawling all over you dressed like that!" Lynley was so furious by now he didn't even notice what he'd said:

"And I'll have none of it! I absolutely forbid it!"

Stunned silence followed. Cooling off a bit, Lynley realised that Hillier's office, with Hillier in it, might not be the best place for declarations of any sort.

Hillier decided to save the situation, seeing that DS Havers was to stunned to say anything at all and that it was unlikely to win Lynley over any other way:

"All right then. Lynley will pose as your boyfriend in the club, let's hope our criminal doesn't recognise him in the darkness, and you'll have a huge fight, after which DS Havers will stomp off."

He sighed. Policing would be so much easier without having to deal with all the PEOPLE involved.

To both of their surprise, Barbara smiled at Lynley, one of her very rare, huge smiles that made her eyes glitter and twinkle:

"Well at least you won't need a beauty specialist to get going. Just get your jacket and we're off, then, Sir!"

He DID think she was beautiful….. She was so happy…..

And several hours later, after a successful charade and arrest, Lynely apologised for his outburst by inviting her to her favourite 24 hour greasy spoon. Barbara still felt radiant, and still on a high roll after the arrest ( she'd taken the opportunity to kick the man were it really hurts) giggled at him:

"You, Inspector Lah-lah, should have seen your face when you saw me! You looked like you were about to spontaneously implode!" She waved her fork at him mockingly.

Lynley saw the opportunity, Barbara wasn't usually this secure about herself, and smiled at her:

"Well, you nearly stopped my heart, Barbara! You should wear your hair like that more often. But preferably only in private, otherwise I'll have to give up my policing career and only look after you!"

He'd meant to make it sound lightly, but the seriousness of their banter started to hit home with Barbara. She put her fork down:

"Don't do that, Sir. Don't tease me, all right? I really, I…." Her courage left her.

Lynely thought it was now or never.

He still had adrenalin pumping around in his blood stream and he thought she was beautiful, so why not say it? He'd learned the very hard way that life is short and that mostly you don't get a second chance to tell the people around you how much you love them.

"I'm not teasing you Barbara. You're beautiful. Not only tonight, but all nights. You've become the reason I get out of bed in the morning and the reason I go to work. When I get home to my huge empty house in the evenings, I wish you were there. Haven't you noticed how I call you at night to talk? I'm not saying this would be easy. We're both very strong minded, aren't we? But we know each other, and I frankly speaking don't give a damn about what people will say!"

And with that, he leaned in and kissed her.

FINIS


End file.
